We naturalists enjoy immersing ourselves in a wide variety of natural ecosystems. Many of us prefer to explore those areas in solitude or perhaps with a spouse, friend or family member who shares our interest in nature.
When it comes to vacations, we do not generally head for the holiday hotspots across the globe, preferring National Wildlife Refuges, Federal Lands, Wilderness Areas and other sparsely populated regions. While we might enjoy the local culture, including restaurants and various forms of entertainment, our passion is to experience new landscapes and their fascinating diversity of geology, flora and fauna.
As one might expect, we are not usually drawn to sites with a high density of human activity with the possible exception of certain cities that offer outstanding cultural amenities (museums, theater, etc.). As for myself, I cannot imagine a worse fate that being stuck on a massive cruise ship for a week or more. The prospect of eating, reading, exercising and sightseeing with throngs of fellow humans is not my idea of a relaxing or interesting experience. While many enjoy the endless buffets, social activities, people watching and celebrity shows, a cruise would be a nightmare vacation for me (even if there were no mechanical problems, epidemics or tropical storms).
